Stories to fuel your mind

Delicious Reads About Your Favorite Candy

From the history of Pez to the science of gummies, and why red Starburst reign supreme—help yourself to some of the most fascinating stories about candy, sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Pocket Collections

Amy Maoz

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Image by Volanthevist/Getty Images

The Ontology of Circus Peanuts

Maybe even more mysterious then the ubiquitous staleness is that, for no logical reason, Circus Peanuts are banana flavored. Real peanuts are none of these things.

The Official Halloween Candy Power Rankings

“First, I’m judging by taste as well as what I’m calling Spirit of Halloween (SOH) — how much does the candy capture the je ne sais quoi of the season?”

Samira Kawash Wants to De-Stigmatize Candy

“I think we are beginning to understand that the problems with the modern diet are not so much about one particular bad food, but about a global food system that has made it easy and cheap to consume excess calories and over-processed nutrient-poor food. Candy is really not the problem.”

In Japan, the Kit Kat Isn’t Just a Chocolate. It’s an Obsession.

The story of how Kit Kats, once a British chocolate export, became a booming business from Hokkaido to Tokyo — and changed expectations about what a candy bar could be.

The Intense Flavor Science Behind Haribo’s Gummies

No one knows our gummy tastes better than the 100-year-old company.

Toxic. Sour. Atomic. Why We Love To Hate Gross Candy

Why are we tempted by candy that pretends to be made of hazardous chemicals, that threatens to nuke our taste buds, or that dares us to be disgusted?

How PEZ Evolved From an Anti-Smoking Tool to a Beloved Collector’s Item

Early in its history, the candy company made a strategic move to find its most successful market.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Skittles

America’s most popular non-chocolate candy is a flavor trick. And we keep falling for it.

Actually, Candy Corn Is Great

Much like the word “moist” and the music of Nickelback, candy corn is a thing that’s cool to hate.

Why the Candy Bar Market Exploded After World War I

Candy bars may seem quintessentially American, but they have origins in the World War I chocolate rations given to European soldiers.

Sensational Sweets of the Imagination

Everlasting Gobstoppers, Burple Nurples and Triple Gooberberry Sunrises are more than just eye candy. They symbolize the power of magic and play.

How Many Tootsie Rolls Is a Snickers Worth? Kids Know.

Like any grown-up bartering exchange, the Halloween candy trade is a delicate and complex affair that is influenced by the power dynamics of the room.

Why I Turned to Candy-Making as My Family Fell Apart

“If I was in the kitchen making candy, usually my mom wasn’t in there screaming or throwing a butter dish at my dad.”

What the Mast Brothers Scandal Tells Us About Ourselves

“Our delight at their downfall truly reveals how we as a consumer culture lie to ourselves about being consumers of culture.”

Everyone Likes Red and Pink Candies Best

Sweets manufacturers are finally catching on and selling packages without the lesser colors.

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